1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supports and racks and, more particularly, to a dishwasher attachment for supporting a freezer bag and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Plastic bags, such as freezer bags and sandwich bags, are becoming more and more popular with ongoing improvements of the same. Typically, the bags are very durable because of the weight and the composition of the contents to be stored therein. Because of their durable design, the bags could withstand repeated use. A problem, however, arises in that once the contents of the bags are removed, residue remains in the bag, making the bag impractical for repeated usage. These durable bags pose yet another problem. The disposal of such bags has become a chief concern of landfills. These bags are disposed of in large quantities and they take relatively long periods of time to decompose. An effortless, efficient, and practical manner of cleansing these bags after use could overcome the present problems associated with the use of plastic bags. A device for retaining plastic bags which could be easily installed in a dishwasher could provide an effortless, efficient, and practical manner of cleaning the plastic bags. Such a device should retain the bag secured in an open posture. The present invention to be disclosed hereinafter provides structure for supporting the bag and a clip for securing the bag to the support structure.
Article retaining devices for use in dishwashers are known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,854, issued Dec. 6, 1966 to Melvin R. Kauffman, discloses a retaining device which is adapted for use with dish supporting racks. Other retaining devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,635,799, issued Jan. 13, 1987 to Maureen Penner; 4,748,993, issued Jun. 7, 1988 to Scott Llewellyn; 4,832,206, issued May 23, 1989 to George D. Cunningham; and 4,974,806, issued Dec. 4, 1990 to Stephen Matern. Supporting devices are also known in the prior art. One such supporting article, for example, is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,557, issued Jun. 24, 1969 to Edgar S. Stoddard who discloses removable article supporting devices for use with automatic dishwasher racks. A rack showing detachable components is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,822, issued to Gerald L. Yeaney et al.
Various holders and racks are known for supporting plastic bags to aid in the washing and drying of the same. Examples of such holders and racks are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,080,237, issued Jan. 14, 1992 to James P. Hefner; 5,102,076, issued Apr. 7, 1992 to Alan S. North et al.; and 5,188,244, issued Feb. 23, 1993 to Jerome E. Hollstegge. However, none of these holders or racks are for use in dishwashers. Moreover, none of the above patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.